Research and implementation project calls

The CLAHRC West 2016 call is now closed and submissions have been assessed by the Research Advisory Panels.

We have received 29 project applications to our latest call, which closed at noon on Monday 7 March. We are now taking forward nine projects and working with seven applicants to develop their proposals further. The full breakdown of the call was:

How were projects selected?

The applications were considered by our Research Advisory Panels (RAPs). There are two: RAP(a) comprises academics assessing scientific quality and robustness, and RAP(p) comprises members of the public and representatives of our partners to assess how the applications address patient, public and partner priorities. Both RAPs met during April 2016. The findings from the two panels were considered by a third panel, RAP(f), which makes the final decisions. Results and feedback were sent to lead applicants in May 2016.

What are the key requirements for applications in the 2016 call?

NIHR CLAHRC West aims to conduct high quality implementation and applied health research, providing evidence to improve patient care and public health across the west in collaboration with NHS organisations, local authorities, patients and the public, third sector organisations and universities. Research and implementation projects are collaborative, carried out in agreement with the proposer and colleagues in relevant organisations in the west.

The following criteria were signalled as particularly important in the 2016 call:

Need to improve patient outcomes or public health

Focus on person-centred care or patient involvement and empowerment

Evidence of support from partner organisations

(For integration proposals) a clear definition of integration and how integration is planned

(For optimal care proposals) aiming to reduce unnecessary investigations or treatments, and/or interventions that do not provide benefit or may cause harm

Who sits on the RAPs?

RAP(a) was made up of academics to assess the scientific quality of the proposals. Members were:

Tim Peters, University of Bristol (Chair)

Yoav Ben-Shlomo, Epidemiology, University of Bristol

Jo Coast, Efficiency, University of Bristol

David Gunnell, Public Health, University of Bristol

Julie Hapeshi, Research & Design Service, Gloucester

Julian Higgins, Evidence, University of Bristol

Tony Killard, University of the West of England

Helen Lambert, Ethnography, University of Bristol

Paul Moran, Mental Health, University of Bristol

Shea Palmer, University of the West of England

Chris Salisbury, Chronic health conditions, University of Bristol

Gordon Taylor, University of Bath

Christos Vasilakis, University of Bath

In attendance (not voting) were CLAHRC West staff:

Jenny Donovan, CLAHRC West Director

Elsa Marques, CLAHRC West

Sarah Sullivan, CLAHRC West

RAP(p) was made up of representatives of our partner organisations, public and patient contributors and academic PPI representatives to assess the importance of the research for patient and public health benefit and its relevance to organisations in the west. Members were:

Peter Brindle, CCG Liaison (Chair)

Joanna Copping, Public Health, Bristol City Council (representing local authorities)

Andy Gibson, UWE (Patient and Public Involvement lead)

Susan Hamilton, Public Health, South Glos Council (representing local authorities)

The final RAP(f) considered the ratings and views of the RAP(a) and RAP(p) and the capacity of the CLAHRC West research teams. Decisions were made about which proposals were taken forward in full, which required further discussion and potentially modification, and which received detailed feedback and sign-posting elsewhere.

Members of RAP(f) were:

Mark Pietroni, Public Health, South Glos Council (CLAHRC West Board Chair)

Tim Peters, Chair RAP(a)

Peter Brindle, Chair RAP(p)

Attending on behalf of CLAHRC West to assess capacity were:

Rosie Davies, CLAHRC West PPI research lead

Jenny Donovan, CLAHRC West Director

Richard Hocking, CLAHRC West Manager

Jeremy Horwood, CLAHRC West team lead

Kate Northstone, CLAHRC West team lead

Niamh Redmond, CLAHRC West portfolio manager

Sabi Redwood, CLAHRC West team lead

Jelena Savovic, CLAHRC West team lead

Penny Whiting, CLAHRC West team lead

The 2014 call

The first call in 2014 consisted of two separate opportunities:

to submit a proposal to undertake collaborative research with staff in the NIHR CLAHRC West

to submit ideas that could be developed into research projects or evidence implementation

Proposals and ideas were accepted from individuals or groups based in NHS organisations, local authorities, universities, and third sector and patient and user organisations in our region.

Our first call for projects and ideas closed in September 2014. From the 58 submissions, including 29 projects and 29 ideas, put forward by the health and care community in the West, we’re now working on 21 live projects, with 15 generated from the projects’ call, and six from the ideas’ call. Here’s the full breakdown:

NIHR CLAHRC West

The aim of the NIHR CLAHRC West is to conduct high quality implementation and applied health research, providing evidence to improve patient care and public health across the west in collaboration with NHS organisations, local authorities, patients and the public, third sector organisations and Universities. Research and implementation projects will be collaborative, carried out in agreement with the proposer and colleagues in relevant organisations in the west. Proposals must seek to improve patient outcomes or public health, and those with a focus on person-centred care or patient involvement and empowerment are encouraged.

Types of proposals supported

All types of implementation and applied health research will be considered. Implementation projects will need support from partner organisations. Research methods can include reviews of existing evidence, routine data analysis, studies to understand patient/practitioner experiences, pilot/feasibility work to prepare for applications to funding bodies for full-scale studies, or evaluations of evidence-based interventions or service developments. NIHR CLAHRC West does not undertake clinical audit or evaluations of established services. Particularly welcome are projects taking a prominent patient- or public health-centred approach. Basic science cannot be supported.